[Dramaland Catnip] Supernatural powers and mind-reading abilities

My drama catnip is ESP, in any of its forms, because of the way that the supernatural powers result in intimate knowledge of someone and encourages bonding. That’s why I looked forward to I Hear Your Voice from the first posting of its basic storyline on Dramabeans. The drama starts out introducing us to Park Su-ha’s world where he can hear everyone’s thoughts so long as he can see their eyes. It’s a terribly loud and lonely world, which he usually tries to drown out by wearing earphones.

Along the way he discovers that his idealized noona thinks more about money than justice when she works as a lawyer. That doesn’t stop him from quietly crushing on her, although she doesn’t return the feelings until much later after being in full denial of them. I loved the scene when he has recovered his memory but she thinks he still has amnesia, and he catches her thoughts turning into a confession of her feelings for him, along with the internal struggle to not let those feelings continue because of the age gap between them.

Secret Garden

Another form of this comes in the body swap scenario, such as in Scret Garden. Walking in another’s shoes totally changed the arrogant Joo-won’s impression of poor but hardworking Ra-im when they become victims of a supernatural body swap. While it isn’t ESP per se, it’s ESP’s cousin, and a beautiful way to discover what lies below the skin of another human being.

When they swap back into their own bodies the first time, Joo-won rewards Ra-im with a hug of compassion and appreciation that would have been impossible had he not lived as her. Later on, when their bonds have grown deeper, Joo-won even sacrifices his own life to save hers by swapping her spirit into his body after an accident lands her in a coma. It’s a perfect way to express how deep love comes from deep knowledge of another individual.

In You From Another Star, alien Do Min-joon’s ability to hear Chun Song-yi talking out loud to herself is as good as ESP. He overhears her agonizing out loud to herself about her feelings for him, which provides comedy moments. And when she is in danger, he hears her, no matter how far away, and comes to save her, which gives us swoony romantic moments.

You From Another Star

Then in W–Two Worlds, manhwa protagonist Kang Chul is intrigued by the details that stranger Oh Yeon-joo knows about him, even down to the thoughts in his head which he hasn’t spoken to anyone. He doesn’t know he’s a character in a manhwa series of which she is a great fan, but it gives her a lot of knowledge about him as a person.

He discovers that she has ways of knowing about the incoming danger to him before they happen. Moreover, she’s a powerful force in his fate because she is even able to go into his world and change his death from the supposed series ending to simply a cliffhanger, giving him another chance at life.

As the result of one plot twist, his memories of their relationship were written away as a dream, but when he reads the copy of the book she accidentally left behind, he learns about not only their relationship, but also her inner thoughts. ESP in manga form! It’s extra satisfying that after all those years of her knowing his thoughts, he finally got his chance to read hers right back.

June 29, 2017 at 9:16 AM

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Ohh, I like this catnip. It's definitely a fun way to break down walls between characters. Have you checked out Soulmate@inkshoals? It has a bit of ESP in it, and it's my absolute favorite drama of all time, even though the drama is not really supernatural per se.

June 30, 2017 at 10:07 AM

June 29, 2017 at 9:24 AM

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Does Goblin fit into this? I love fantasy elements so much because my first love (way before K dramas entered my life) was fantasy novels (made even better with romance subplots). I love seeing things that are out of the ordinary, and fantasy allows for so much more development. I loved You Who Came From the Stars; it's definitely one of my most, most, MOST favourite dramas.

June 30, 2017 at 12:48 AM

June 30, 2017 at 10:09 AM

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Yeah, ESP is my drama/book catnip, but it isn't directly used in enough dramas to just list it, that's why I added things like-unto, but not quite as wide as supernatural. Which I also like. If I'd gone that route, I would have added Master's Sun and Goblin for sure...probably some others too, but my head file isn't as big as my computer files, so I'd have to go down a list somewhere to catch all the fish for that topic!

June 30, 2017 at 10:14 AM

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My favorite swoony scene at the end of I Can Hear Your Voice is when she has (uncharacteristically) declared her love and loyalty for him in weepy splendor (because she just read his lonely journal and thinks he's going to prison for attempting to kill her mother's murderer), then she is totally embarrassed about her confession in light of finding out he's not actually going to prison (and she's going to be seeing him on a regular basis), but he urges her to confess her feelings to him anyway, and she does with her eyes tightly shut because she's really not the gushing type, and then...they lock eyes, and the music stops, and he kisses her and you know it's because he can read her mind!!!

June 29, 2017 at 9:30 AM

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Nice post! Not usually my catnip unless there's a really well-explained reason for it. (I'm still side-eyeing Secret Garden for the "explanation," even though I loved that drama.) But I did massively enjoy the fact that W's premise gave the characters seemingly-supernatural/odd powers in each other's territory that were completely necessary according to the laws of the universe the writer created.

June 29, 2017 at 10:09 AM

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I really liked the ESP/super power theme too and enjoyed all the dramas listed! I am still rather disappointed with the later half of W... i loved how the manga and real worlds connected and the wonderful leads... but all the love dwindled rapidly when the show starts to throw logic and "face" out of the window...

June 29, 2017 at 10:19 AM

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Well, I did love "I Hear Your Voice" and "W" but I never really considered that I like supernatural elements in my dramas.
Most of the time I'm disappointed with how dramas insert those elements and WASTE THEM completely in favor of old-school melodrama and the hated love triangle.
With that said, "Signal" is the perfect example of how to do it RIGHT. It really blew my mind. Such an amazing drama. *wishes for sequel*

June 29, 2017 at 2:05 PM

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Strong woman DBS is also one to add into the superpowers list, but to me they did it wrong with that killer plot, and I didn't liked last ep. I think I watched that show because the couple was cute. Min Min was a jelly man in front of her

June 29, 2017 at 10:31 AM

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I love anything to do with the supernatural. I've always been drawn by strange and outside the reach of reason elements in anything I dive any; books, movies, and dramas. For me this is a leeway to leave this ordinary world and step into a stunning one where you get to learn the rules anew and live a new life with every new setting. Reading minds, superpowers, goblins and grim reapers... all elements that open up possibilities for something great to happen :)

June 29, 2017 at 11:21 AM

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Thank you Inkshoals for this catnip, I love the addition if supernatural /magic element in dramas, Secret Garden is one of my favorites .
Does time travel belong to this category ? If yes, I nominate Nine time travels and Splish Splash Love :). Off to begin Queen In Hyun's Man...

June 29, 2017 at 11:22 AM

June 30, 2017 at 10:22 AM

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Oooh...I loved Nine. I recommended to a friend whose wife now watches Kdrama too (I still don't know if it is because of that recommendation or another route). I didn't like all of the versions of the female lead in the many threaded possible realities, but I loved the exploration into the "what if" of multiple memories and the variations that can occur in life based on the different outcomes of one particular decision point.

June 29, 2017 at 11:45 AM

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Yes this is my catnip, not the mind reading part though, I don't think people like their minds to be read, nor does the person who hears the thoughts like it, isn't that why the lead guy in I hear your voice always used to wear those headphones?? Any other supernatural element is good :-)

June 30, 2017 at 10:24 AM

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So many relationship help books list the advice: no one can read your mind, so you need to learn to communicate!! But I think there is that childish voice inside that says, "but wouldn't it be nice if Mr. Right could know exactly how I feel and who I am?" I think the ESP trope answers that feeling.

June 29, 2017 at 6:23 PM

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I love it, @inkshoals. And of course you named my favorites, because you are the one who got me hooked on this whole drama thing in the first place. :) I love how kdramas include so much fantasy. It's definitely one of the things that attract me to dramas in the first place.

July 1, 2017 at 11:15 AM

June 30, 2017 at 6:30 AM

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I like this very much. Although I vote for more female leads with superpowers, especially mind-reading. I'd love to see, for a change, the girl having the ability to read the guy and everyone else. I cannot recall a drama with that kind of female lead. I may be wrong though...

June 30, 2017 at 12:15 PM

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I'm fairly new to Dramaland, but after reading this post I realize that this is my catnip, too! I'm a sucker for supernatural tropes and stories, and loved that two of my favorites (I Hear Your Voice and You From Another Star) are mentioned here. Legend of the Blue Sea has a touch of ESP, as the hero can hear the heroine's thoughts in part of the story.

June 30, 2017 at 12:53 PM

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I also like this catnip. I am always attracted by some fantastic super power that would make a person special. Particularly, i enjoyed how HS accepted the fact that SH was able to "listen" to People's thoughts, so much she wanted to use him! But the rest of the drama was perfectly normal... and except from this little advantage in court rooms, it is not like they used his ability to gain some profit, which actually somebody could have tought...
And life carried on pretty simple (except then again, because of Min joo).